Door-operating apparatus.



A A'. GOTTSGHALK.

DOOB. OPERATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEBJS, 1912.

1,1 .1 1,959, Patented Sept. 29, 1914; 4 2 alums-81AM! 1.

A. GOTTSCHALK. DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED IEBL15, 1912. 1,1 1 1,9 Patented Sept.29,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"igim "h my T my 5 pushed back and the ALBERT GOTTSCHALK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

in sin COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIERGINIA.

' DOORFQPERATING AJEPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented se t. ea, tart.

1" '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that l, ALBERT Go'i'rsoHALK, i

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and *1 T v State of how York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Door- Operating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fluid pressure apparatus foroperating doors and the like,

and more particularly to car doors for subway, elevated railway, or electric traction service generally, and is in the nature of an improvement in the apparatus covered in prior applications, Ser. No. 519,432, filed September 24L, 1909, Ser. No. 593,032, filed Nov. 18, 1910, and Ser. No. 639,611, filed July 20, 1911. As set forth in said prior applications,

in the closing movement of the door it is adapted to uncover a port for admitting fluid to the valve shifting cylinder to cause the movement of the valve to'cut ofl' en lap position, but where, as is usual in this class of devices, a cup-leather packing is employed on the actuating piston, it might happen that fluid would be admitted to the valve shifting cylinder, and the valve be closed, slightly beforethe door .reached the completely closed position. One of theobjects of my present improvement is toprovide means for overcoming .this difliculty, and to positively effect the opening of this i port only when the piston reaches the extreme end of its movement. This is particularly important in connection wlth a door operating device having a latch mechanism. for locking the devlce in the closed position of the door, for if'the door is not quite closed, the latch mechanism will not be locked, and the door is then liable to be thrown open accidentally when the car or train is running.

According to the improvement .set forth in the last application above noted, when the dooris arrested in its closing movement by striking a person or other obstruction in its path, theipressure which accumulates upon the piston in the cylinder opens a spring seated valve and passes to a valve device which temporarily cuts ofl' and then automatically opens the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder, so that the door may be person or obstruction when the piston of the I actuating motor reaches the end of its stroke erated by lever, connections, serves to control communication be released, and that the door will then an tomatically close without special attention on the part of the operator. While this apparatus may be entirely suflicient for or dinary purposes, it may be desirable in some instances that the door be positively moved back toward open position, when a person or other obstruction 'is encountered, and another object of my present invention is to provlde improved means for this purpose.

Another object is to provide improved means for cushioning the door to prevent slamming even when the pressure accidentallybuil'ds up to an excessive degree upon the piston.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan, with certaln parts shown in horizontal section, of a preferred form of my improvement; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, one end of the valve shifting cylinder beingindicated in section; Fig. 3, a plan of a portion of the cylinder shown upon a larger scale; Fig.4, a longitudinal vertical section of the portion of the cylinder and valve device shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, a section of a pressure retaining valve which may be attached to the from one end of the cylinder.

As shown and described in my prior applications above referred to, door operating apparatus comprises in gen eral, a cylinder, 8, containing two opposite pistons, 9, withan intermediate rod or bar, 10, having rack'teeth for engaging the segmental gear, 12, mounted on the shaft, 13, for rocking the arm, 14, to actuate the door when fluid under pressure isadmitted from a supply pipe or port, 20, to either end of the cylinder through the respective ports, 24 and 25. A rotary valve, adapted to be op- 19', through any suitable from the supply port to the ports, 24 and 25, and from these ports to the atmosphere, through the exhaust ports, 29 and 29". the purpose of automatically cutting off the supply of fluid to the cylinder when the piston has reached the end of its stroke in either opening or closing the door, a valve shifting cylinder, 30, is provided, containing 105 opposite pistons, 33, and intermediate rack ar, 34,.engaging the segmental gear mount ed on sleeve, 35, having a projection, 36, for engaging the lever, 19, and shifting the I valve to intermediate or lap position, when 110 ASSIGNOR T0 NATIONAL PNEUMJAIIC outlet port my improved- 85 For 100 prior applications.

fiuid is admitted to either end of the tam shifting cylinder, as fully set forth in my Where the rocker arm, 14, for actuating the door, occupies an inclined position when v the door is closed, a latch, 53, operated by A closing'movement of the door, to

to lock the same in the os1tion.' Otherwise latch lever ofthe door being accidentally thrown open reaches the end of its stroke,

by the metal-face of the piston, 85

i when, but "not before,

. its/closed or latched position.

' to cut off valve, 64, thereby exhausting the main cylin-i leasing the pressure matically to temporarily vet when the car is rlmnmg.

-When a leather packed piston is employed, and aport at the end of the stroke is adapted to be uncovered thereby to admit fluid to the valve shifting c linder, as in said priorapplication, if the uid should leak past the leather before the piston quite the valve may be shifted before the door is completely closed and latched, but according to one of the features of my resent improvement, the complete closing 0 the door is insured by providing a normally closed valve, 32, controllin from the maincylinder, 8, to the valve shifting cylinder, 30, and having a stem or plunger, 32, adapted to be positively engaged 9, at the extreme end of its movement to open said valve, thereby admitting the fluid to the valve shifting cylinder to lap the valve, the door has reached In prior a plication Ser. No. 639,611, I have describe a device operating, when the door is arrested by encountering. an obstruction during its cut ofi the supply of, fiuid to the cylinder, exhaust the same to the atmosphere, and then to again turn on the; supply, this device comprising a valve, 40, and piston head, 41, subject to the pressure in cylinder, 8, through port, 39, nd normally held seated! by sprlng, 42, but adapted, when the pressure in the cylinder is suflicient to overcome said spring, to open communication through port or passage, 60,

1 to the cylinder, 61, contaimng a piston, 62,

.foroperatin'g the yalv'es, 63 and 64, for controllin the admission of fluid through passages, 0, 67, and 72, into the cylinder, 8, and the exhaust therefrom through ports, 72 and 65. When the door is obstructed and fluid is admitted from the main cylinder to act on piston, 62, the latter closes valve, 63, the supply of'" fluid and opens der to the atmosphere and consequently refrom cylinder, 61, -so

the ports or" passages, 32 and 32*,-

closing movement, autoa sufficient amount 0 charge port, 83,

that the spring 68, immediately depresses piston, 62, closin the exhaust valve, 64, and again opening t cylinder through valve, 63, this operation being repeated until the obstruction is removed and the door moves to lts closed position without ,any special attention on the part of the operator.

According to my present improvement, I provide, in addition to the device above described, means for automatically admitting fluid to reverse the movement of the door when the same is arrested by an obstruct-ion in its closing movement and the supply of fluid to the closing end of the cylinder is cut off. As shown in the drawings, a preferred form of this feature of my improvement may comprise a valve, 78, normally held closed by a spring, 79, and the pressure of fluid from a source of supply through a pipe or passage, 82, but adapted momentarily by means of a to be opened piston, 77, in

cylinder, 75, and thereby admit fluid throu h checkvalve, 80, and passa e, 81, into tie opening end of the main cy inder for causing a reverse movement of the main piston, 9, and the door. The pressure operated valye, 40, and head, 41, may also serve to control the supply of fluid to cylinder, 7 5, in any convenient manner, as by means of a passage or pipe, 76, communicating with the assage, 60, so that the two pistons, 62 and 7, may be actuated at substantially the same time. Any slow leakage of pressure at valve, 78, will esca is around the stem of the piston, 72, to t e atmosphere through port, 83.

It will now be seen that, when the door is obstructed in its closing movement, and the valve, 40, opens to supply fluid to the piston, 62, to operate valves, 63 and 64, to

cutoff the supply to thecylinder through passages, 25, 70, 67, and 72, and open an exhaust therefrom to the atmosphere, the piston, 77, is also operated to open the valve,

8, and supply fluid to the opposite end of the cylinder, 8, to reverse the movement of the piston, and move the door away from the obstruction. As the pressure remains on the piston, 77,- only temporarily, the valve, 78, is opened momentaril and then closed, but fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder, 8, to cause a reverse movement 0 the piston, 9, even though this end of the main cylinder is at the time open to an exhaust through a restricted discharge port, 29, at therotary valve which has been turned to its closing position by the lever, 19.

The check valve, 80, prevents escape of fluid to the atmosphere through leakage diswhen said fluid is admitted through the rotary valve and port, 24, to that endof the main cylinder in the normal operation of opening the door.

e supply of fluid to the restricted as in the After a reverse movement of the mechanism, as above described, the supply of fluid to the closing end of the cylinder is again automatically opened and the operation may be repeated several times or until the obstruction is removed from the path of the door. I W v If desired, a pressure retaining valve device, such as indicated at 90, having a valve, 91, and an adjustable spring, 92, (see Fig. 5,) may be connected to the exhaustport, 29, for the purpose of retaining a certain minimum degree of pressure in the left end of the main cylinder when the rotary valve is in its closing position and fluid is bein admitted through port, 25, to the right end of the cylinder for closing the door. During this movement, the opposite piston head, 9, compresses the airin that end of the cylinder until the pressure acting through the discharge port, 29, upon the valve, 91, is sufficient to overcome the spring, 92. The compressed air will mosphere, and the piston will be subject to the cushion of this amount of back pressure as determined by-the spring of the retaining valve. This back ressure up on the piston 9, may even be suigcient to cause a reverse movement of the piston and door when the same is obstructed in its closing movement and the supply is cut off, without the use of valve, 78, but when both of these devices are employed, the action is naturally much more positive, since th charge port, 29, until a certain degree of pressure has accumulated therein. The retaining valve also prevents slamming of the door, in case a high pressure should, for any reason, he built up 1n the right end of the cylinder before the piston has cleared the port, 39. When the rotary valve is turned to the position for opening the door, the air compressed by the movement of the-pistonin the right end of the cylinder is discharged to the atmosphere through restricted port, 29; as described in said prior applicatio Where the retaining valve is employed, the discharge port, 29,- does not need to be former case, since the back pressure is sufficient to cushion the movement of the mechanism. In the normal intermediate position of the valve, other exhaust openings may be provided' for both ends of .the cylinder, and, ifdesired, discharge ports for the exhaust of fluid from the main cylinder may be located in the valve shifting cylinder at the end of the stroke ofits piston, as before described in said prior applications. 1

From the foregoing description, it will now be apparent that the retaining valve may be employed either with or without the valve device for automatically supplying fluid to the opening end of the motor when the closingendof the motor, and

then escape to the.at--

e, air cannot escape fromthe left end of the cylinder through the dis?" I movement, for cutting said motor, when the door is arrested durin .'its. closing movement, 'to .opposite end .of the motor to reverse the movement thereof.

the door is obstructed, and that the latter device may also be used without the retaining valve, if desired.

-While, for conyenience, I have-shown the valve devices for cutting off the supply. to

mitting fluid to the opposite end, when the or addoor 18 obstructed, as separately mounted upon opposite ends of the main cylinder, it.

is obvious thatthey may be combined or arranged in any other suitable manner, as desired.

Having now described my invention, what I claimas new, and (lesire'to secure by Letters Patent is a 1. In a door operating apparatus, the combination with a fluid pressure motor, and connecting means for actuating the door, of fluid pressure actuated ing its closin movement, for admitting fluid to the opposite end of the motorto cause a reverse movement of the door.

2. In a door operating apparatus, the combination-with'a fluid pressure motor and connecting means for actuatingthedoor, of a valve forco'ntrolling the Suppl Inf fluid to the vmotor, and'= additional va ye means operating automatically upon the'farrest of the door during itsclosingmovement, for supplying fluid to .the.opposite end of the (IiIIOtOI' to cause-Ia. reverse movement of the cor.

copnecti'ng means for actuating the-door, of a manual y operated valve device for con- .3. In a doom operating apparatus, the" combination with a fluid-pressure: motor and means operating aui 'tomatically upon the arrest of the door durtrolling the supply of fluid to the motor for opening and='closing the door, and additional valve means operating automatically upon the arrest of the door-during its closing off the supply of fluid to the closing side of said motor and supplying fluid to the opposite side thereof to cause a reverse movement of the door.

4. Infla door" operating apparatus, the combinatieli with a fluid pressure motor and connecting means .for actuating the door, of a valve device operated by the pressure in supply fluid to the 5. In a door operating apparatus, the combination with a fluid pressure motor and connecting means for actuating the door, of a valve device operated by the pressure in said motor, when the door is-arrested during its closing movement, to cut off the supply of fluid to the closing end of the motor and open a supply of fluid to the-opposite end to cause arreverse movement of the mot0r.

' 6. In a door operating apparatus, the combination with a fluid pressure motor,

and connecting means for actuating the door, of a valve device operated by a predetermined degree of pressure in the closing end of the motor to' temporarily cut on the Suppl to said end and momentarily supply fluid o the opposite end of the motor.

7. In t a door operating apparatus, the combination with a fluid pressure motor, and connecting means for actuating the door, of valve device operating automatically upon the arrest of the door during its closing movement, to. temporarily cut off the supply of fluid to said end and momentarily open and then cut ofi a supply of fluid to the opposite end of the motor.

8. In a door operating apparatus, the combination of a cylinder having an outlet port, a piston adapted to open said port, connecting mechanism actuated by the piston for moving the door, a valve actuated by the movement of the piston at the end of its stroke to open communication through said outlet ort, and means operated by the discharge tirough said outlet for cutting ofi the supply of fluid to the cylinder.

9. In a door operating apparatus, the combination of a cylinder having an outlet port, a piston adapted to open said port, connecting mechanism actuated by the piston for moving the door, a valve actuated by the movement of the piston at the end of its stroke to open communication throughsaid outlet port, a valve device for controlm ta ling the supply of fluid to the cylinder, a latch for locking the mechanism in its closed position, and means operated by the discharge through said outlet for cutting off the supply of fluid to the cylinder.

10. In a door operating apparatus, the combination with a fiuid pressure motor, and connecting mechanism for actuating the door, of a latch for locking the mechanism in the closed position of the door, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the motor, a fiuid pressure device for closing said valve, and a valve operated by the movement of the motor at the extreme end of its stroke for supplying fluid to said device.

11. In a door operating apparatus, the combination with a cylinder, piston and connecting mechanism for actuating the door, of a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to one end of the cylinder for closing the door, a communication from the opposite end to a discharge port, a. pressure retaining valve connected to said discharge port, and means for freely exhausting said cylinder at the end of the stroke of the piston.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

ALBERT GO TTSCHJUJK. Witnesses:

A. S. FOWLER, JAMES M. HOGAN. 

